Matthew Rossman, JD

Professor of Law
School of Law
Director
Community Development Clinic
Milton A. Kramer Law Clinic Center
School of Law
2023-24 Norman A. Sugarman Lecturer in Residence
School of Law

Matthew Rossman joined Case Western Reserve's law faculty in 2004. He coordinates and co-teaches the Community Development Clinic, through which third-year law students provide corporate counsel and transactional law services to community-based nonprofit organizations and sustainable business ventures in the Cleveland area.

In his legal career, Rossman has represented the full spectrum of public and private entity clients, ranging from mom-and-pop businesses and grass-roots community groups to municipalities and foundations to Fortune 500 companies and Wall Street investment banks. Through the Community Development Clinic, he aspires to teach law students the array of skills necessary to succeed in representing "organizations," no matter the size or setting.

Rossman also created and teaches the Urban Development Lab. The lab functions as a legal think tank focused on the redevelopment and revitalization of urban areas. Students research and prepare reports on topics identified by local nonprofit development organizations. Most recently, the lab has prepared reports on tax increment financing, land banks, vacant property ordinances and tangled title issues.

Rossman is also a co-founder and active participant in the Cleveland Roundtable on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. The Roundtable, which consists of practicing lawyers, government officials, law students and law faculty, meets periodically to discuss important practice related issues in these areas of law.

Rossman is a frequent speaker on legal issues that affect nonprofit organizations and small businesses. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.

Prior to arriving at Case Western Reserve, Rossman taught at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Baltimore. He began his career in private practice with the New York offices of Latham & Watkins and Christy & Viener. His practice areas included corporate, securities, real estate, tax and nonprofit law.

View CV.

Publications

Education

Juris Doctor
New York University
1996
Bachelor of Arts
Miami University
1992